What non-traditional engine would you put in an RX-8?

"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
05/14/2015 at 09:05 • Filed to: None

I saw an ad by the side of the road this morning - for sale, an RX8, no engine. This did not shock me much. That being said, getting one and doing an LS swap is beaten to death. What alternative to the original engine would be most CLEVER?

Me, if I had an unlimited budget and a whole staff of fabricators, maybe a miniaturized Deltic engine. Good torque, good overall power, unusual engine note, and it’s triangular enough to go along with all the rotor shape cues in an RX8. That is, however, crazy. Any other ideas? Three-cylinder radial?

DISCUSSION (100)

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:08

Rover turbine.

/thread

Party-vi > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:09

I’d electrify that bitch. Batteries up front, motors out back, and have at it.

misfitmascots > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:09

2JZ-GTE or RB26DETT

Clown Shoe Pilot > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:10

Motus V4 baby block

Kinja'd!!!

pip bip - choose Corrour > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:10

Subaru boxer turbo motor.

Hermann > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:10

Inline 8, 2 stroke.

MLGCarGuy > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:10

Kinja'd!!!

Get all the deaths.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Party-vi
05/14/2015 at 09:11

Only if the electric motor has three lobes.

EL_ULY > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:12

Porsche

Kinja'd!!!

on each wheel!!!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Clown Shoe Pilot
05/14/2015 at 09:12

Good plan. Triangular-ish, funky sound, sufficient power, good weight.

Alfalfa Romeo > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:13

Replace the back seat with a GM 3800 SC V6

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:13

Air cooled small displacement V12, duh.

Kinja'd!!!

http://thekneeslider.com/honda-cbx-v12-…

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/14/2015 at 09:13

From hilariously impractical to hiliariously impractical in a flash! It’s Buzzcar!

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:13

5-cyl Gnome rotary.

spanfucker retire bitch > Party-vi
05/14/2015 at 09:13

So a Mazda version of the Renovo coupe?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Hermann
05/14/2015 at 09:13

I know I6 two-strokes have been made, so I have to assume someone once made an I8. Maybe.

CalzoneGolem > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:14

A turbo charged Mazda 3.7L V6

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > misfitmascots
05/14/2015 at 09:15

This is a practical suggestion that makes sense and would be easy to execute.

Kinja'd!!!

CalzoneGolem > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/14/2015 at 09:15

You know your audience.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:15

Kinja'd!!!

Gas turbine, no torque down low, and a stratospheric redline to boot

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > pip bip - choose Corrour
05/14/2015 at 09:16

Well, maybe. You could get nearly the same level of unreliability if you used a 2.5, too.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Clown Shoe Pilot
05/14/2015 at 09:16

Hmm... I wonder how hard this would be to put in my MR2.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MLGCarGuy
05/14/2015 at 09:16

Witnesses at the site say the victim’s last words were “WHEEEEEEE”

Hermann > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:18

I think since 2-strokes are so “simple” they’re kinda modular, like Wankel engines where people stack rotors until they have enough bees under the hood to move the car faster.

Wasn’t there a guy who made a 2-stroke V8 on the FP a few months ago?

Party-vi > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:18

Kinja'd!!!

Stop trying to make rotary happen! It’s not gonna happen!

Party-vi > spanfucker retire bitch
05/14/2015 at 09:18

Yes an uglier Renovo coupe.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer
05/14/2015 at 09:19

Kinja'd!!!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/14/2015 at 09:20

BZZZZ

MLGCarGuy > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:20

The crash occurred when the victim told a teenager in a Civic that VTEC was fake, and that turbos were better. A drag race ensued and the victim in the deathtrap spun into a lake due to a pelican.

Leon711 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:20

Kinja'd!!!

Miata swap. then turbo.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
05/14/2015 at 09:20

It’s so big, it needs to behind the RX8 in a hydraulically actuated trailer.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > EL_ULY
05/14/2015 at 09:20

TELL ME MORE

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Party-vi
05/14/2015 at 09:21

It’s totally happening in 2017. All that Mazda said was that there wouldn’t be a 2016 wankel.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Alfalfa Romeo
05/14/2015 at 09:21

That almost sounds like you’re saying the back seat is impractical, which is crazy talk. However, I can see the appeal of an engine you access by opening tiny rear doors.

Hermann > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:22

“Please tell me you didn’t swap the Wankel for an LS”

“Too cliché. I went for a 2JZ”

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Leon711
05/14/2015 at 09:23

Alright, but only if the boost is turned up to DANGER TO MANIFOLD. We want a little unreliability for old time’s sake.

Cé hé sin > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
05/14/2015 at 09:24

Terrible throttle lag too.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > MLGCarGuy
05/14/2015 at 09:24

Deathtrap is so over-played. I prefer “Doom sled”.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > CalzoneGolem
05/14/2015 at 09:25

That sounds real traditional, pardner. Well, okay, it’s not traditional and something everybody uses...

HotelCoralEssex > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:26

A 2.3 ecoboost could be fun. But the answer is LS, of course.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:27

I'd do a VW 2.5L 5-cylinder, mount it longitudinally, and then twin-charge it with a roots blower and a turbo. For extra street cred, cut out the triangle at the back of the hood and make it a shaker!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Party-vi
05/14/2015 at 09:28

Kinja'd!!!

oh look whats this a planetary drivetrain from a pancake motor that totally has three lobes ha ha

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:29

Nah, nowhere near the same level. You’d just go through head gaskets faster than you’d like.

MLGCarGuy > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:29

Good to know. I will use that phrase at every moment possible today.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > HotelCoralEssex
05/14/2015 at 09:30

This thread is all about what would be so impractical that it rises to the level of just dealing with the rotary, so while those are good suggestions...
I have yet to have anyone suggest a swashplate motor, though. Oppo, I am disappoint.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:30

Gotta use the 1.8 if going Mazda V6.

CalzoneGolem > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:31

It’s not traditionally in a RX-8 nor is it traditionally turbo charged. I think Mazda should start producing the RX-8 again with this engine.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > CalzoneGolem
05/14/2015 at 09:31

WE’LL HAVE NONE OF YOUR GOOD IDEAS HERE, SIR. I BID YOU GOOD DAY.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:33

I’ve thought about this many times and I can’t think of a better motor for the RX8 than the Honda F22C from an S2000. It would keep the car nice and light,it wouldn’t really change the great dynamics of the car, it would be ultra reliable and it would get good gas mileage. Plus VTEC YO!

Kinja'd!!!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
05/14/2015 at 09:33

Weird sound, very odd choice, unreliability, questionable result, and blasphemy on several levels.

Kinja'd!!!

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:34

If I had a ridiculous amount of money, I’d totally have this guy build me a bunch of these engines.

Cé hé sin > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:35

Steam, obviously. The only remaining choice is piston or turbine.

I’d go with turbine, because smooth rotary = smooth turbine.

You can carry the water in a trailer.

CalzoneGolem > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:35

What I meant to say was Deutz air cooled v12

Kinja'd!!!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
05/14/2015 at 09:35

However, I’d argue that if you have an F22C hanging around, you need to stuff it in an original Mini because reasons.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Cé hé sin
05/14/2015 at 09:38

I wonder if anybody’s made a steam rotary?

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > CalzoneGolem
05/14/2015 at 09:39

Much better.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:39

For a mini you would be better off using a K-series (fwd)motor and either keep the min FWD or put the motor in the back and make it Mid engined OR put one in front and one in the back to make it AWD!! I wouldn’t classify the mini as a good candidate for a front engine rear drive swap. so the F22C is perfect for the RX8.

Opposite Locksmith > Hermann
05/14/2015 at 09:40

There is a yt vid of a 2 stroke v8 from an outboard. Amazing exhaust manifolds and sound

EL_ULY > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:40

I was 14, just a little older than Bobby. But I knew Uncle Sam needed me, so I lied and signed up. We had beat the Nazzys in Italy, and they shipped me to the Pacific theater. A Tojo torpedo sent our troop ship to the bottom. I could only save three of my buddies: Fatty, Stinky, and Brooklyn. They were kind of like you fellas, only one of them was from Brooklyn. Out of the sun came a Tojo Zero and put fitty bullets in my back. The blood attracted sharks. I had to give ‘em Fatty. Then things took a turn for the worse. I made it to an island, but it was full of Tojos! They were spitting on the U.S. flag! So I rushed ‘em, but it was a trap. They opened fire and blew my shins off. Last thing I remember, I beat ‘em all to death with a big piece of Fatty. I woke up in a field hospital, and they were sewing my feet to my knees.

Opposite Locksmith > misfitmascots
05/14/2015 at 09:40

Those are basically Japan's LSx

Party-vi > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:41

Desperation is a stinky cologne, RamblinRover.

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:41

it's perfect then! let's do it!

Opposite Locksmith > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:41

Hey, I have a 2.5 turbo boxer and it's been a dream

Cé hé sin > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:41

I suspect not...

Mustafaluigi > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
05/14/2015 at 09:42

Since when did the turbo motors have the same head gasket issues like the N/A motors?

Opposite Locksmith > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:42

F20c from the s2000. They are soulmates in drivetrain layout and redline. Boom.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
05/14/2015 at 09:42

I believe I’ve seen a picture of a Mini with an F22C and something of a hodgepodge drivetrain, still FWD, but I think a lot of work was involved.

CalzoneGolem > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:43

Probably have to run without a hood though.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Cé hé sin
05/14/2015 at 09:43

Probably another thing on the list of “possible, but why?”

misfitmascots > Opposite Locksmith
05/14/2015 at 09:44

I wanted to keep it japanese

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Opposite Locksmith
05/14/2015 at 09:45

Now that you mention it, it did seem back when I was doing a lot of reading up that the 2.5NA was more prone to head gasket failure than the turbo... which is weird.

HotelCoralEssex > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:45

Ok. Jag v12?

Sweet Trav > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:47

Ecotec 2.0 turbo from a solstice gxp or sky redline. The turbo MZR motor from the MazdaSpeed3 would be cool, but I’m not sure that the MZR has been used in a longitudinal mounted position before.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > HotelCoralEssex
05/14/2015 at 09:47

...in the back seat.

Opposite Locksmith > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:53

I have an aftermarket hg, gotta admit haha. Didn't need to replace it specifically, had the engine rebuilt for more fun

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Opposite Locksmith
05/14/2015 at 09:55

Sounds like the mix most guaranteed for tragedy would be to take a 2.5NA that hadn’t been taken apart and add an eBay turbo...

Snuze: Needs another Swede > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 09:59

I noticed in one of your replies you mentioned swashplate motor. I happen to know a bit about those. So how about the swashplate motor in a Mk.48 ADCAP torpedo? 550HP in a motor only 26” in diameter and about 36” long. Revs to the moon and back.

Kinja'd!!!

Bonus points - it only runs on Otto-II Fuel, which is a self oxidizing propellant. Thus you don’t need any kind of air intake, simplifying the engine bay. Also, it is incredibly toxic and if it comes into contact with the wrong chemicals, it turns into cyanide.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:00

Which means someone here needs to totally make it happen!

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Snuze: Needs another Swede
05/14/2015 at 10:01

Yeah, I kind of like the idea of opening an engine bay and just seeing a Cylinder of Mystery.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:03

I used to work in a Navy torpedo shop. I really wish I could get my hands on one of those engines. I cant help but think it’s possible to convert it to run on NG or LPG. And they are relatively compact and very light, the power density is incredible.

Oh lord. I need to start going on the hunt for torpedo engines.

DoYouEvenShift > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:06

Kinja'd!!!

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > CalzoneGolem
05/14/2015 at 10:08

But that’s just a 6?

Funktheduck > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:12

Original beetle engine

Opposite Locksmith > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:13

Please no

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Funktheduck
05/14/2015 at 10:13

x2, stacked. “This car is powered by H8”

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Opposite Locksmith
05/14/2015 at 10:14

You can hear steam, low compression noises and spraying oil all the way from there, can’t you?

Funktheduck > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:17

I just thought of something better: a moped (sub 50 cc) motor on each wheel with individual throttle controls

TheTick247 > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:28

2.0L VW TDI it’d be around the same HP, but double the torque. Adapting it to RWD might be a bit tricky, though.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:29

That picture is now mine.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > EL_ULY
05/14/2015 at 10:36

Lolwut

CalzoneGolem > Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies
05/14/2015 at 10:37

You’re right?

cbgoding > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:40

Saab b234r with a big fuckin holset and a t5 tranny.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
05/14/2015 at 10:40

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Hi…

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:53

Hmmm, how about three small-displacement 3-cyl radials one infront of the other, linked by a common crankshaft? World’s only 9-cylinder automotive engine :)

The issue with radials is vertical size, but having a number of small ones connected together would sort that in an engine bay as long as an RX-8s :)

If I didn’t have the kind of money to be making bespoke engines with, probably the 2.3T from a MazdaSpeed 3. Up the boost and convert to RWD :)

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:56

V5 from a Honda RC211V

Captain of the Enterprise > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 10:56

Ford 5.2 Voodoo

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
05/14/2015 at 11:07

Making a bespoke 3-cylinder set x3 wouldn’t be all that hard if you were using existing “jugs” for a small engine. That would make it only a matter of getting the crank and cam done, since you could just weld up the crankcase out of plate. Actually, I’d say take the piston, jug, even camshaft as-is from a Honda GX-series engine, and even work with the existing crank, just replace the conrod with a custom piece to a thrust collar, so the single journal can drive three conrods... Look in the picture. You’d need to augment the oiling system from mere splash, but when done (using GX340s), you’d have a 3.5l 9-cylinder that was ~100hp with 180lb-ft of torque, somewhere around 300-350lb, about 36” long, and about 28” or so in a circle. There have been worse engines put in cars, certainly. Three balance shafts, too! Smooth bastard.

Kinja'd!!!

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 11:35

Yay modular engine design! I bet you could get it to produce a lot more power than that in an automotive application as well :)

nerd_racing > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
05/14/2015 at 11:43

4 rotor

nerd_racing > Leon711
05/14/2015 at 11:45

I see your BP and raise you an FE3! or Miller cycle V6?